Door operating mechanism



April 3, 1945. L. BESKIN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Jan.-15, 19 43 5Sheets-Sheet l v INVENTDR LEEIN BESKIN BYMK AT TEIR EY 1.. BESKIN DOOROPERATING MECHANISM April 3 1945.

Filed Jan. 15, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR LEDNBEEKIN BY K ATTUR EYApril 3, 1945. I

L. BE SKIN DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 15, 1943mmw April 3, 1945. BESKlN 2,372,648

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM F iled Jan. 15, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTUFiLEUN BEE KIN B Y AT'T NEY April 3, 1945. 1.. BESKIN DOOR OPERATINGMECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan.

INVEN'T'EIR LEON BE SKIN ATT RNE paths of different lengths.

Patented Apr. 3, 1945 DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Leon Beskin, New York, N.Y., assignor to The Ingalls Iron Works Company, a corporation ofDelaware Application January 15, 1943, Serial No. 472,437

8 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical devices for operating a pluralityof relatively moving parts at different speeds along predetermined Itfinds its application partly in means for closing or opening largeopenings such as the exterior or partition doors of large buildings,such as hangars, factories, warehouses and the like, and wherein thedoors are formed of several sections moving on horizontal or verticaltracks or guides, or arehinged together or are arranged in combinationsof such construction.

My invention contemplates the provision of improved means for movingsections or combinations of sections of the character describedsimultaneously and at different speeds so that they will arrivesimultaneously at their terminal positions.

A' further object of my invention is to provide positive and directmeans for moving sections of the character mentioned from a commonsource of power; also to provide means comprising one or several membersdifferentially operated for effecting the proper relative rate ofmovement of the door sections.

A still further object of my invention is to provide adjustableattachments for connecting the linear members employed by my inventionto the sections, independently of each other whereby the sections may bequickly and accurately adjusted relative to each other, and to provideeiiective devices for slowing down or stopping the movement of thesections as they approach their terminal positions or any intermediatepredetermined positions.

An apparatus embodying features of myinvention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which Figure1 is an elevational view of a sectional door with certain parts demovedto which my improved operating system is applied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the door shown in Fig. 1. showing thepositioning of the sheaves on the door sections and frame and showingdiagrammatioally the arrangement of the cables for operating thesections;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the door shown in Figs. 1 and 2 withcables and sheaves shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the door sections in closedposition;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing by way of example a snubber and limitswitch arrangement which may be used in connection with a door section;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing an adjustable anchor which may be usedfor applying tension Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic elevational view of thearrangement shown inFig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a further modified form ofmy invention applied to a sectional door in which the sections arehinged together;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the operating mechanismshown in Fig. 12;

and

Fig. 14 is an elevational view of the doors operated by the mechanismshown in Figs. 12

and 13.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 to 4, my invention isillustrated in connection with a door opening by horizontal movement,though it will be apparent that the same system of operation may beapplied to vertically moving door sections. Also I have illustrated myinvention as adapted to close one half of an opening although it will beapparent that it may be adapted for closing any part, or all of anopening. Further I have shown my improved operating system as beingplaced on top of the door sections whereas it may be as readily appliedto the bottom of the'section's.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 the door comprises thesections Ill, H, and I! of equal width, which are preferably mountedoutside the building with which they are associated. They are uprightand parallel and are transversely off set with respect to each other, sothat they are movable relative to each other across the opening. When inclosed positions the sections are relatively extended to form a closuresubstantially as wide as the sum of the widths of the sections with theadjacent edges overlapping. In open position the sections are sidebyside with their corresponding ends in which supportthe door sectionsand are movable over tracks I4 in a floor I6. Each door section isprovided at its top with rollers I'I, engaging between guides I8, whichare supported by a suitable frame work I9, which frame work may in turnbe supported in any suitable manner (not shown). The front part of thegirder I9 and guides I8 are not shown in Fig. 1 for the sake of clarity.

In order to move the door sections I0, 'I I, and I2-to open or closedposition, I provide a drum or hoist H and linear members such as cables2|, 22, 23, 24, and 25. The cable 2I is attached to the drum H andpasses over a fixed sheave 21 located to the left of the open positionof the door section ID as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The

cable 22 is connected to the drum H and passes around a fixed sheave 28positioned beyond the opposite extreme limit of travel of the sectionII], and thence to the door section I0. It will be seen that with thisarrangement, the door section IIl, upon rotation of the drum H, will bemoved to open or closed position, depending upon the direction ofrotation, one of the cables 2I or 22 being wound on to the drum H andthe other being paid ofi. It will also be seen that the door sectionill, under such circumstances, will travel at the same speed as thecable which is moving it.

The door section II is operated in an opening direction by the cables 23attached to and wound upon the drum H. The cable 23 passes from the drumaround a fixed sheave 29, thence to a floating sheave 3|, mounted on thedoor section I l; thence to a fixed sheave 32, and thence to a fixedsheave 33, and back to the door section l2, where it is attached to ananchor 34. Cable 24 passes from the drumH to a fixed sheave 36; thenceto a fixed guide sheave 37; thence over a guide sheave 38, to a floatingsheave 39, mounted onthe door section I2; thence to a fixed sheave 4!,and back to be attached to the door section I 2, at an anchor 42.

The cable 25 is secured to' a fixed anchor 43,

and passes from the anchor 43 to a floating sheave 44, mounted on thedoor section I2; thence back arrive at their fully open or fully closedpositions simultaneously.

Thus, it can be readily seen that in both directions of movement, theapparatus described insures a positive motion of the different sectionsat speeds proportional to the lengths of travel of the differentsections, which are respectively: one panel length for section I 2, twopanel lengths for section II, three panel lengths for section I0. themotion of the whole system being insured by the drum H, or several drums(not shown) hav ing the same diameter and the same speed. The drum H maybe driven by any suitable means such 4 as by an electric motor M whichis preferably and around a fixed sheave 46, and thence to a fixed sheave41 to the door section II where it is attached to an anchor 48. It thusacts to move section I2 toward starting position and section I I towardextended position, the latter moving at all opening and closing of thedoor sections II and I2. The cable 24, winding on the drum H, insuresthe closing of section I2, and passing of the cable 24 over thestationary sheaves 36 and M, and the floating sheave 39, on the doorsection I2, insures that said section will travel at one third the speedof section II], which travels at the same speed as that of the cables 2Iand 22 which actuate it.

Section II is actuated in a closing direction from section I2 throughintermediate cable 25. It will be seen that cable v25 is connected tothe fixed anchor 43, and is reeved around the floating sheave 44 to passthence to the section II, by way of the fixed sheaves 4'6 and 41. Thiscauses section II to move at twice the speed of section I2, or twothirds the speed of section I E]. The cables 23 and 25, cooperatingtogether. insure the simultaneous movement of sections I I and I 2, atspeeds equal to two thirds and one third the speed of section III,respectively. The sections will thus connected to the drum by means of aspeed reducer 5!.

At the end of their movement, the door sections may be stopped by anysuitable means, such as by manually cutting off the power supply of themotor M. Preferably, adjustable stoppers for instance, electrical limitswitches automatically acting on the power supply, can be placed at theends of the path of each section. Moreover, as the positive simultaneousmovement of all the sections is insured, the stoppers can be placed atthe ends of the path of one section only. Preferably. this section willbe chosen to be section I0 which has the greatest travel, and thusinsures more precision in the stopping of the whole system because, fora given displacement of section Ill, the displacements of sections IIand I2, are, respec tively, two-thirds and one-third. Thus, the errorsdecrease by using section I0, and would increase if sections II or I2were used. Also with limit switches controlled by section ID, if thecables should stretch, the inaccuracies in positions of sections II andI2 are smaller than those of section I0; whereas ifsections II or I2should command the positions of the whole system. the inaccuracies wouldbe greater.

A typical example or a combined snubber and limit switch arrangement isshown in Fig. 5. Mounted on .a suitable stationary part adjacent thedoor section ID at each side near the top, is a cylinder 52, in which ismounted a piston 53, which .is biased to its outward position by meansof a spring 54. As both .s'nu bber and limit devices are the same inconstruction, only one will be described. -A bumper element 56, on theouter end of the piston, is adapted to engage with the door section I0,near the end of its travel. This causes the piston 53 to move inwardly,compressing the spring 54-, and also compressing the air ahead of thepiston, and gradually brings the door section to rest. A bracket 58 isprovided on the stationary frame structure of the door and pivotal-1ymounted on the bracket is an arm 59 carrying a roller 6!], which isengaged by a wedge shaped track 6i on the door section ID as itapproaches the limit of its travel. The outer end of the arm 59 carriesa contact member 62 which is normally engaged with a contact 63, thusclosing a circuit 64, controlling the motor M. When the roller 60 isengaged by the track til, the arm 59 rotates counterclockwise on itspivot, thus breaking the motor controlling circuit. It will beunderstood that the construction shown in Fig. 5 is merely illustrative,and many other means for slowing down and stopping any or all of thedoor sections Will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in theart.

In order to provide for the stretching of the operating cables, all theanchors heretofore described should be of the adjustable type and pre inFig. 6, I show the cable 23 as anchored by means of an adiustableeyebolt66 mounted in a bracket 61. The adjustment of the anchors compensatesfor the stretching of the cables and positions the sections accuratelyto their theoretical end locations. While I have shown the cables asending at and attached to the winding and unwinding drum H, it will beobvious that the cables 2I and 22 may be connected end to end into asingle cable, and also the cables 23 and 24 may be connected end to endinto a single cable, making several turns on the drum and taking byfriction the power imparted to the drum. In such case, the

cables must-all be under tension in order to insure the requisitefriction. In order to obtain such result, each part of the cable windingon the drum must pass through'a tension device. For instance, the cablesmay be put in tension by means of a spring 68 surrounding an anchor bolt69 passing through one of the brackets 61 and holding a sheave such as36 in place as shown in Fig, 7.

The arrangements shown in Figs. 1 to 4 can be applied to two-sectiondoors by merely omitting the equipment related with the operation ofsection III. With the arrangements shown in Figs. 1. 2, and 4 it can bereadily seen that, assuming the resistance to movement of each sectionis the same for all sections, the tension in all the cables issubstantially the same. Also, it can be seen that the winding orunwinding of all the cables on the drum is at the same rate. Ifdifferent drums should be used, all drums should be of the samediameter, and be driven at the same speed from the same power.

Fig. 8 represents in the same diagrammatic way as Fig, the operatingsystem of a door comprising four section numbered I36, I3I, I32, andI33. Thesections I and I33 are operated together by means of powercables I34 and I35, and iii-'- termediate cable I36. The sections I3Iand I32 are operated together by means of power cables I31 and I38 andintermediate cable I39.

' A. fifth section could be added to the arrangement shown in Fig. 8,which would operate independently in the same way as section II! in Fig.

3. The cables operating such a fifth ection would wind on the drum H ata speed which would insure its proper movement relative to the othersections. Assuming 1, 2, 3, 4 the relative speeds of sections I33,'I32.I3I, I30, respectively, the speeds of the cable on the drum for thefifth section would be 5. All the speed and power characteristics of thescheme shownin Fig. 3 are similar to that shown in Fig. 8.

The intermediate cable I36 operating sections I3 l and I33, terminatesat a fixed anchor MI, and at a floating anchor mm, on section I30. It isreeved on stationary sheaves MI, M3, I44, and I 46, and on floatingsheaves I45 and. I41 on section I33. Cable I34 ends at an anchor I Mb onsection I33, and is wound at the other end on the drum Hill. It isreeved on stationary sheaves I48, I56, HI, and I52. It is woundonfloating sheave I49, mounted on section I33, and on float ing sheaveI53, mounted on section I30. Cable I ends on a floating anchor MIc, onsection I33, and is reeved on stationary sheaves I54, I56, "and I58; andon floating sheaves I55, and IE1, mounted on section I33.

Intermediate cable I39 has one end secured to -a fixed anchor Mid, andthe other to a floating anchor I IIe, on section I32; and is reeved onstationary sheaves I59, IGI, and I62, and on fioating sheaves I60 andI63, mounted on sections I32 and I3I, respectively. Cable I31 is woundon the drum I40, and ends on anchor I4I, on section I3I and is reeved onstationary sheaves I64, I66, and I61; and on floating sheaves I65 andI68 mounted on sections I32 and I3I, respectively. Cable I38 is wound onthe drum I46, and ends on anchor I4Ig, on section Hill, and is reeved onstationary sheaves I10, I12, I14, and I15; and on floating sheaves HIand I13 mounted on section I32.

As seen from the examples shown in Fig. 3 and in Fig. 8, the speed ofwinding in the cables, when an even number of sections is used, is equalto the speed of the next section of odd rank, as section II) in Fig. 3,or as the fifth section not represented in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 represents anarrangemerit for two sections only, I16 and I11. In this arrangement,the speed of winding on drum I18 is the same as the rate of movement ofsection I16, which is moved toward its starting position by the cableI19, winding on the drum and connected to section I16 at III-2. SectionI11 is actuated by cable I80, winding on drum I18. Cable I86 is reevedon a fixed sheave I85, and on floating sheave I64, mounted on sectionI11, and ends at a fixed anchor I83. The section I16 and I11 areconnected together by a cable ISI, ending 'on an anchor I 86 fixed tosection I16, reeved on fixed sheaves I81 and I88, and on floating sheaveI89, fixed to section I 11, and ending at a fixed anchor IBM. Incontrast to the arrangements heretofore described, cable IBI is notsubmitted to the same tension as the cables I19 and I86.

All the arrangements indicated above can be used for folding doors ofthe type represented in Figs. 10 and 11. If these schemes are usedwithout any change, one of the folding elements must be half the widthof the other elements, and must be hinged. Comparing Fig. 10 to Fig. 9.it will be seen that sections I90 and IBI there shown correspondsexactly to sections I16 and I11, but. that there must be added a hingedsection I92, which is half the width of I90 and IIII. All the sheaves,ropes, drums and anchors are identical to those of Fig. 9 and arenumbered alike. Sections I90 and I9I are provided with guide rollers 10,located at top center while section I92 is provided with pivots 1Ilocated at the top and bottom adjacent the edge of the opening.

Figs. 12 and 13 represent a folding door in which all the foldingsections have the same width. They are numbered 93, 94, and 95. It maybe seen that the displacements of their centers are respectively equalto 2 sections, 1% sections, and /2 section, i. e. they are proportionalto the numbers 5, 3, and 1. Due to the odd number of sectionsrepresented in Fig. 12 the middle section 94 is moved separately at halfthe speed of the drum winding by means of the two cables 96 and 91reeved on sheaves IIJZ, and IE3 on the section 94, and on the stationarysheave I05. These cables 96 and 31 end at anchors IIM and IIIG. Inoperation, they transmit a tension equal to half the tension of all theother cables 98, 99, and I60. This peculiarity exists only in case of anodd number of sections. Where there are an even number of sections, allcables transmit equal tension.

The two sections 93 and 95 are operated simultaneously in the samemanner as the pairs of sections shown in Figs. 4, 8, and 9. The powercable I00 operates section 95 alone, constituting a six-unit line reevedon stationary sheaves I21 and I23, and on floating sheaves I20, I22, and

I24, mounted on section 9.5, and ends at stationary anchor I25. Cable 93from drum IIlI, is

reeved n stationary sheaves I01 and I 09, and

on floating sheave I03, mounted on section 93, thus operating saidsection. It is then reeved on sheaves III] and H2 on section 95, and onstationary sheave I I I, thus operating said section, and ends atstationary anchor I I3. The intermediate cable 99 ends at anchors H4 andH9, fixed to sections 93 and 95, respectively, and is reeved onstationary sheaves II 6 and H8, and on sheaves H and III, on section 95thus insuring the ratio of 5 to 1 between the speeds of sections 93 and95.

In all the arrangements herein illustrated and described, it will beseen that I have applied a simple cable and pulley combination to aplurality of movable sections in which I have provided that number ofpulling cable units to each section for each direction of movement,which rep resents its rate of movement compared With other associatedsections. For example in Fig. 3, comprising three sections, section IIIis moved independently in each direction by a single cable unit at thesame rate of movement as the cable is Wound on the drum l-I. Section I2being actuated by cable 24 passing from the drum H around sheaves 4| and39 and anchored to floating anchor 42 is acted upon by three cablepulling units and thus moves at only one third the rate of section I0.An inspection of the arrangement of intermediate cable 25, shows at oncethat it supplies two cable pulling units to section I2 and only one tosection I I, thus effecting movement of section I I toward extendedposition at a rate one half that of section I2. Cable 23 passing fromthe drum around floating sheave 3| on section I I, moves the sectionback toward starting position at a rate of movement one half that ofsection III, or twice that of section I2. The sections are all thusactuated by cable pulling units corresponding in number to the relativerates of movement of the sections.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improvedoperating system for moving simultaneously a plurality of massivesections from a common starting position to various extended positions,and back again, at speeds proportional to their respective extendedpositions as compared to their initial or starting positions. It willfurther be apparent that my improved system involves a minimum ofmechanism and is simple of design and reliable in operation.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various other changes and modifications, without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitationsshall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of movablesections having a common starting position and extended positions toform a closure equal substantially to the sum of the widths of thesections, a fixedly mounted operating drum of constant diameter, asystem of actuating cables wound on the drum and connected 'to thesections, a system of fixed sheayes and floating sheaves mounted on thesections around which said cables are passed and disposed to aiford toeach section a number of cable pulling units corresponding to the rateof move ment of said section relative to its associated sections,whereby when the drum is rotated in one direction the cables effectsimultaneous movements of said sections toward their extended positionsat rates of movement proportional to the respective distances from saidextended positions to their starting positions, and a similar system ofcables and sheaves similarly mounted to effect simultaneous movement ofsaid sections at similar rates toward their starting positions.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a pair of sections movablealong parallel tracks having a commonstarting position and extendedpositions to form a closure equal substantially to the sum of the widthsof the sections, a fixedly mounted operating drum of constant diameter,a system of cables wound on the drum and connected to the sections, anda system of fixed sheaves and floating sheaves mounted on the sectionsaround which said cables are passed and disposed to afford to eachsection a number of cable pulling units corresponding to the rate ofmovement of said section relative to its associated sections, wherebywhen'the drum is rotated in one direction one of the sections moves attwice the rate of the other to assume an extended position beyond theother section, and a similar system of fixed sheaves and floatingsheaves mounted on the sections around which said cables are passed andsimilarly disposed to move said sections toward starting position sothat the farthest extended section moves toward the starting position ata rate of movement twice that of the other section, and both sectionsarrive at the starting position substantially simultaneously.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a pair of movable sectionshaving a common starting position and extended positions adapted to forma closure equal substantially to the sum of the widths of the sections,a fixedly mounted power operated drum of constant diameter, a cablewound on the drum and connected directly to the section having thelonger travel and adapted to move said section from extended to startingposition, a fixed positioned sheave and an anchor located. beyond thelimit of advancing travel of the section having the shorter travel, afloating sheave mounted on the section having the shorter travel, acable wound on the drum and reeved around both of said sheaves andconnected to the anchor to effect movement of said section having theshorter travel toward extended position at a rate one half that of itsactuating cable, a fixed position sheave located beyond the sectionhaving the longer travel, a fixed positioned sheave and'an anchormounted beyond the limit of retracting travel of the section having theshorter travel, a second floating sheave mounted on the section havingthe shorter travel, and an intermediate cable connected directly to thesection having the longer travel and to the last mentioned anchor andreeved around said last mentioned sheaves to eifect simultaneousrelative movement of said sections at rates proportional to theirrespective travels from starting to extended positions.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a trio of movable sectionshaving a common starting position and extended positions to form aclosure equal substantially to the sum of the widths of the sections, afixedly mounted power operated drum of constant diameter, a fixedpositioned sheave located beyond the limit of travel of the sectionhavin the longest travel, a cable wound on the drum and passing aroundsaid fixed postioned sheave to connect to said section and move ittoward extended position, a second cable wound on the drum and connecteddirectly to said section to move it toward starting position,

a floating sheave on the section having intermediate travel on the sidetoward starting position, a third cable wound on the drum and reevedaround said floating sheave to move said section toward startingposition, a fixed sheave beyond the extended position of the sectionhaving the shortest travel around which said third cable is passed, ananchor on said section having the shortest travel on the side towardextended position to which said third cable is secured, a fourth cablewound on the drum, a fixed positioned sheave around which said fourthcable .is passed and located beyond the extended position of the sectionhaving the shortest travel, a floating sheave on the section having theshortest travel on the side towards its extended position around whichsaid fourth cable is passed, a second fixed positioned sheave associatedwith the section having the shortest travel around which said fourthcable is' passed, an anchor on said latter section to which said fourthcable, is secured, an anchor adjacent the starting position of thesection having the shortest travel, a fifth cable secured to saidanchor, a floating sheave on the section having the shortest travel onthe side adjacent starting position around which said fifth cable ispassed, a fixed positioned sheave beyond the extended position of thesection having the intermediate travel around which said fifth cable ispassed, and an anchor on said section having intermediate travel on theside toward extended position to which said fifth cable is secured toeffect movement toward extended position of the section havcomprising aplurality of movable sections havil'lg a common starting point andextended positions to form a closure equal substantially to the sum ofthe widths of the sections, a cable for each of the sections to move ittoward extended position, another cable for each of the sections to moveit toward starting position, a fixedly mounted operating drum ofconstant diameter on which the actuating cables are wound, and a systemof fixed sheaves and sheaves mounted on the respective sections aroundwhich the actuating cables pass and providing cable pulling ingintermediate travel and movement of the sectoward starting position, aguide roller mounted units for both directions on the respectivesections proportional to the relative travel of each from starting toextended position.

8. A (1001' operating system as set forth in claim '7 including a trioof movable sections with an intermediate cable cooperating between thesection having intermediate travel and the section having the shortesttravel, and adapted to move the section having intermediate traveltoward extended position and the section having shortest travel towardstarting position, an anchor adjacent the starting position ofthesection having the shortest travel to which said cable is attached, afloating sheave on the section having the shortest travel towards theside nearest starting position, and a fixed sheave beyond the limit oftravel toward extended position of the section having intermediatetravel whereby said inter-.

mediate cable effects movements of said sections at rates proportionalto the length of travel of each from starting to extended position.

LEON BESKI'N.

